BOSTON — The formula worked against the Miami Heat. So, the Boston Celtics used it again against the Cavaliers and closed out Cleveland in Game 5 with a 113-98 victory at TD Garden on Wednesday.
The Celtics won the Eastern Conference semifinal series, 4-1, and advanced to East finals for the sixth time in the past eight seasons.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Celtics weren’t at their best in Game 5, but with the Cavaliers extremely shorthanded, they didn’t have to be.
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Boston got away with playing uninspired defense for most of the night — Cleveland shot 48.1% from the field for the game — and ended up having to hold off a pesky Cavaliers team despite opening a 12-point lead in the third quarter. The good thing for the Celtics is that they could get whatever they wanted on the offensive end and went on a key 11-2 run midway through the fourth quarter to go up double digits and pull away. Boston shot 19-for-43 (44.2%) from deep in the win.
The first two rounds of the playoffs haven’t presented much of a challenge to the Celtics. The Heat and Cavaliers missed key players in their series and were both sent home in five games.
There’s no doubt the Celtics will need to be sharper as they are now just one step away from a return trip to the NBA Finals — getting Kristaps Porzingis should help with that.
The Celtics have been up to the task thus far, but their assignment is far from over.
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STARS OF THE GAME
— Al Horford provided an all-out effort to energize the Celtics and the home crowd. After a couple of rough shooting games, the veteran big man scored 22 points and knocked down 6-of-13 3-pointers — he had hit only four triples in the first four games of the series. Horford also recorded 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
— Jayson Tatum was rocked solid as he flirted with a triple-double. The Celtics star poured in a a team-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, nine assists, and for good measure, four steals.
— Marcus Morris Sr. gave the Cavaliers a surprise lift off the bench to keep Cleveland in the game. Morris hit his first six shots and finished with 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting. His season-high for the entire season was 17 points.
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UP NEXT
The Celtics will have some time to rest before the start of the conference finals, where they will take on the winner of the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers series.
If the Knicks defeat the Pacers in Game 6 on Friday, the Celtics will host New York for Game 1 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. If the Pacers force a Game 7, the Celtics will see the winner at TD Garden next Tuesday for an 8 p.m. tip.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
